French Onion Soup
User Reviews
5
French Onion Soup
Description
The French Onion Soup recipe begins by slowly caramelizing thinly sliced yellow onions in butter, developing a deep golden color and sweet flavor over roughly an hour. Garlic and flour are then added to thicken the base slightly before deglazing the pot with dry white wine, which lifts flavorful browned bits from the bottom. Warm beef stock, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and black pepper combine to create a savory broth that simmers gently for 20 minutes.
Chopped baguette slices are toasted and topped generously with grated gruyere cheese, which melts and browns under a broiler, forming a rich, gooey topping. This combination of caramelized onions, aromatic herbs, brandy, and the creamy cheese topping establishes French Onion Soup as a hearty starter or light meal.
For easier broiling, oven-safe bowls can be placed on a lined sheet pan to catch any spills. Substituting chicken or vegetable stock will adjust the flavor if needed. Patience in caramelizing the onions is critical to achieving the signature depth of flavor, and freshly grating cheese improves melt quality and texture.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter unsalted
- 4 to 6 large onion peeled and thinly sliced (3 pounds/1350g, yellow
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white wine dry
- 5 to 6 cups beef stock warm
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 3 tablespoons brandy
- 1 baguette cut into ½-inch-thick slices
- 2 cups gruyere cheese grated
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and salt. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, just until the onions are softened and starting to release moisture.
- Uncover, and continue cooking, stirring, every few minutes, until deeply golden brown and caramelized, about 1 hour. (The onions will stick some, but if they appear to be burning, reduce the heat or add a tablespoon of water when stirring. Towards the end of the cooking time, you may need to stir every minute or so to keep them from burning.)
- Once the onions are caramelized, stir in the garlic and flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with your spoon to deglaze. Add the warm stock, thyme, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Continue simmering for 20 minutes or until desired consistency. Stir in the brandy and simmer for a few more minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
- When ready to serve, preheat the oven to High broil (500F). Divide the soup into broiler-proof serving bowls. Top each with a slice or two of bread and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese.
- Broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese is very bubbly and just starting to brown. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Grate your own gruyere cheese to ensure smooth melting and avoid anti-clumping coatings.
- Place soup bowls on a lined sheet pan when broiling to catch spills and ease transferring.
- Chicken or vegetable stock can substitute for beef stock if preferred.
- Properly caramelize onions over about 1 hour for authentic flavor; avoid undercooked onions.
- Dried thyme can replace fresh: use ¼ teaspoon dried per sprig.
- Always deglaze the pot with white wine to incorporate flavorful browned bits.
- If oven-safe bowls aren't available, broil cheese-topped baguette slices separately and transfer to soup bowls.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 368 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 368kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 27g | 9% |
| Protein | 17g | 34% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 52mg | 17% |
| Sodium | 750mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 483mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 523IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 397mg | 40% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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